Slamming A Door to Adoption in Guatemala

Last month in Guatemala, the option for adoption was temporarily shut down. Guatemala, for the past few years or so has been a hub of international adoption. Many a homeless child has been saved from life on the streets or in institutions because of international adoption, particularly from the United States. Though this prohibition is only temporary it is likely that, in the absence of this program, these private adoption agencies will eventually shut down from neglected use and international adoption will surely slow to a trickle. Only a handful of lucky children will be able to make it off the streets and into good homes with nurturing families. Though it has been proven time and again that international adoption works well for these children, especially those who are adopted in their crucial early years of development, human rights organizations have been pushing for its limitation and end on the basis of a belief that children should not be removed from their native country...that it is their right to maintain the heritage of their birthplace and remain there. They also view international adoption as baby buying although there has never been any solid evidence regarding prices for children.

I do not understand this article. It must be a joke. None of these reasons seem legitimate to me. Children certainly can't benefit from national heritage by living on the streets of their birthplace. They can't get anything from it by spending their lives in crummy institutions either. This is really stupid. So many children have come to wonderful homes and nurturing families because of international adoption. The possibility of foster care in their homelands seems silly also since there isn't really much in the way of a program for it in Guatemala for one. Secondly, it has had harmful effects on children in the U.S. so why would we want to do it to children elsewhere? I mean, there is absolutely no substitute for having a permanent home and family. Well, I suppose it could be exciting to get comfortable in somebody else's home or in a cardboard box in an alley only to uproot yourself again...and again...and again. Even if people were buying babies I don't think it would make a difference. The child is still getting a home and family. That is so much better than life on the streets. I would rather be purchased anyday than live like that.

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